Lifting crane



Dec. 2, 1958 CCATES ETAL 2,862,628

' LIFTING} CRANE Filed May 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 h F a 29 INVENTORS. N LEROY COATES.

BY ARVIL SAYLOR. E1 DES JARDINS ,ROBINSON a KEISER;

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*Dec. 2, 1958 COATES ETAL 2,862,623

I LIF TING CRANE Filed May 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z0-- Z0 170 if INVENTORS. LEROY COATES BY ARVIL SAYLOR T'HEIR ATTORNEY.

DES JARDINS ,EYOBINSON 6: KEISER.

United States a e LIFTING' CRANE v Leroy Coates, Latonia,and Arvil Saylor, Covington, Ky. Application May 11, 1956, Serial No. 584,261 A 2 Claims. c1; 212-65 This invention relates to a lifting crane having an arm or jib swinging on a vertical axis, and, more particularly, to one for use on a motor van or truck which is adapted to be automatically latched when the arm is swung to nonoperating position and so held until being manually unlatched but can also be latched in operating position independently of the latch for latching the arm or'jib'in nonoperating position. Accordingly, the arm or jib can be selectively latched or unlatched in operative position as desired, but can be automatically latched by a separate latch when swung to inoperative position and will so remain until unlatched.

Heretofore, the cranes have been provided with latch means for selectively manually or automatically latching the arm or jib in any one of several angular positions. This may be for latching the arm or jib in either of its two extreme angular positions, or in one or more intermediate angular positions between the two extreme positions, and a single latch is employed. Hence, if the latch be normally biased to automatically latch the armor jib, it will automatically latch same in any one of the several latching positions, whereas if not biased, it will not latch it in any of the several latching positions.

Accordingly, one of the main objects of the present invention is a lifting crane in which the arm or jib is automatically latched in nonoperating position and is either unlatched or manually latched in operating position.

Another object of the invention is a crane in which the latch for latching the arm in inoperative position is always normally biased in order to automatically latch when in inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is a crane provided with a latch which may be optionally used for latching the crane arm in operative position and is separate and independent of the latch for automatically latching the arm in inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is a double latched crane which is simple in construction and efiicient in operation.

Another object of the inention is a unit which is readily detachably mounted on the truck floor.

Still another object of the invention is a readily detachable crane unit which can be mounted on the truck without special construction thereof other than the provision of pivot receiving clamp plate.

Further objects, and objects relating to details of construction and economies of operation, will readily appear from the detailed description to follow. In one instance, we have accomplished the objects of our invention by the device and means set forth in the following specification. Our invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a lifting crane embodying the inven- 2,862,628 Patented D c; 2,

'ice

tion pivoted to the rear corner of a truck and with the arm or jib latched in one position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the armor jib locked in its other position.

Fig.3 is a top plan view of the latch plate for the latching pins.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation view of the bottom and portion of the mast with the latching pins.

Generally described, the invention comprises a conventional lifting crane comprising a rotatable vertical mast having a jib or arm angularly disposed. Conventional hoisting means is suspended from the free end of the jib or arm. The vertical mast is pivoted to a plate clamped to the fioor of the hitch. One latch is provided on the mast or plate for automatically latching with the other member when the mast is moved to bring the arm or jib in nonoperative position, and another latch, separate and independent of the first latch, is provided for either latching the mast when the arm is in operative positionor leaving it unlatched. This second latch is manually operated. 7

Referring specifically to the drawings in which like numerals designate like parts, numeral 2 is the floor or floor frame of a motor van or truck to which a plate 3 is secured by bolts 4 projecting through the floor and clamped by nuts 5. The plate is perforated to provide a hole 6 for receiving the bottom pintle end of aimast 7, in the form of a hollow beam, that is pivoted to the plate by a pintle 8 projecting from a plug 5 fitted in and secured, as by welding, to the bottom end of said mast '7. A cotter pin 9 is inserted through the pintle 8 adjacent a metal washer 10 to prevent the pintle being pulled out of the hole 6.. This same metal washer may also provide a washer for each of the four clamp bolt nuts 5. i

The opposite ortop end of the mast 7 is pivoted to a bracket 12 (Fig. 1) fastened to the side wall 12', or to a rib 13 thereon, of the van or truck, by a bolt 14. The bracket is recessed to receive the end of mast7. The invention is not limited to any particular bracket means for pivotally connecting with the top end of the mast.

' Any hoisting means, denoted generally ynumeral 15, may be fitted to the free end of an arm or jib 15 extending from the mast 7 and braced by strut 16.

A latch pin 17 is slidably mounted on one side of the mast 7 within a chamber of a casing or housing 18 fitted to said mast. The bottom end of the chamber is open for the bottom end of the pin to project therethrough. The top end 17a of the pin is reduced in cross section, resulting in a shoulder 19, and provided with a link 20 adapted to be detachably engaged with a hook 21 fixed to the mast 7 a sufficient distance above the top of the pin for it to be disengaged from the plate when the link 20 is engaged with the hook. A spring 22 is disposed about the reduced end of the pin between the head 23 of the casing 18 and the shoulder 19 in a compressed condition for biasing the pin normally downwardly when the link 20 is disengaged from the hook 21. A recess 24 is formed in the plate 3 in a position adapted to be in registration with the latch pin 17 when the arm or jib 15 is transversely disposed to the truck. Hence, if the truck is full, mast 7 can be latched in position with the arm or jib disposed against the end of the load across the truck. In any other position, other than the inoperative position hereinafter described, the mast is in unlatched position, and held unlatched so that it can be readily turned for bringing the arm or jib to any desired position in operating the lifting crane.

A duplicate latch pin 17, similarly mounted on the mast, is provided on the opposite side, and there is another recess 26 in the plate 3 which will .be in registration with this latch pin 17 when the jib or arm of the crane is swung in parallel relation to the side wall 12 of the van to inoperative position. This latch pin 17 is normally unhooked and biased by the spring 22' to automaticallylatch said pin into the recess 26 of the plate 3 when the arm or jib is swung to inoperative position, where it is held latched until manually released. The one latch pin 17 is automatically operated for latching the mast when the arm or jib is turned inwardly along one side of the truck, and the other latch 17 is manually operated, if desired, to latch the mast when the beam is transverse to the truck. Until the arm or jib is turned inwardly along one side of the truck to inoperative position, the other latch pin 17 may be preferably hooked to be held out of latching engagement so as to be turned as desired when in use. When not in use, the latch pin can be unhooked and allowed to engage the recess 24. g

The plate 3 is relatively thin in thickness and needs to be of no special construction except being provided with the pivot receiving recess and the bolt holes. It is simply clamped to the floor of the truck by conventional clamp bolts and a washer, said washer being provided with corresponding pivot receiving recess and bolt holes. Holes are then formed through the truck floor in registration with the pivot receiving recesses and bolt holes in the plate and washer. The entire lifting crane can be installed by simply fitting the bottom pivot end of the mast into the plate and then securing its top end by the holding bracket fastened to the side wall of the van.

The lifting crane unit is portable, relatively light in weight, and is readily detachably connected to the truck.

By pivoting the top end of the mast to the bracket means connected to the side of the truck, a more simple pivoted support can be provided for the bottom end of the mast and one which can be installed by simply clamping the pivot plate to the truck floor in a conventional manner. The pivot plate is clamped by simply cutting one large opening through the floor surrounded by a plurality of smaller bolt holes. A disc is placed on the under side of the floor through which the pintle and bolts project, the bolts clamping the plate and disc in place. The pivot disc and plate can be clamped in place as a permanent unit to which the crane may be readily detachably connected by simply removing a cotter pin and lifting out the bottom end of the mast after its top end has been first disengaged from the wall bracket.

We are aware that there may be various changes in details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and, therefore, we claim our invention broadly as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and useful and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination of a truck and a lifting crane having a vertical mast, carrying an extended arm, having a bottom end pintle, a plate clamped by bolts to the rear corner of the truck floor provided with a recess for seating the bottom end pintle of the mast, a common washer for the bolt clamps, means for pivotally connecting the top end of the mast to a side wall of the truck, a pair of latch pins mounted on the mast adjacent the plate and biased to latch into recesses formed in the plate, one of said plate recesses being in position to latch one of the latch pins When the arm of the mast is disposed inwardly parallel one side of the truck and the other plate recess being in position to latch the other latch pin when the arm of the mast is transversely disposed, and hook means mounted on the mast above the last mentioned pin for holding said pin out of latching position.

2. lifting crane for avehicle comprising .a plate adapted to be clamped to one rear corner of the vehicle floor and provided with a pintle receiving opening, a mast, carrying a jib, having a bottom pivot end inserted in the opening of the plate, a bracket to which the top end of the mast is pivoted, a pair of separate and independent latch pins mounted on the mast in position for one pin to be selectively latched to the plate by a catch disposed in the plate to register with, one of the pins when the jib is disposed inside the vehicle parallel to one side thereof and the other pin to be latched to the plate by another latch disposed in the plate to register with said pin when the jib is transversely disposed to the truck, and hook means mounted on the mast above the last mentioned pin for holding said pin out of latching position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

